The Dark Knife
by TheArtistNextDoor
Summary: What happened the day after Reign..? This is my first fanfiction story ever! Please review! :-)
1. Chapter 1

As Mina awoke, she felt totally relaxed. Then dread pierced her heart. This had happened every time she woke up, ever since she was fifteen and had found out about the Grimm curse, but today was different. It was something a lot worse.

She remembered.

Her Fae Godmother, Mei, was gone. Forever. And nothing would ever bring her back.

Mina's eyes filled with tears, and she buried herself under the covers. They smelt weirdly clean and fresh. Her heart twisted even more. Mei had cleaned her room the day before, when Mina was taking a shower.

It was a Saturday morning. Though Mina had been gone a few days on the Fae plane, it hadn't even been twenty four hours here.

She ran through the events of the previous night. Teague being stabbed through the heart, her healing him, the terrifying transformation from a prince to a demon. Brody taking her up to the balcony. The explosions…wait!

She stopped and sat straight up. What had happened on the balcony? She thought hard and faintly remembered the nauseating feeling waiting for midnight. She had seen Brody out of the corner of her eye. He had been holding a small box. That contained…

His ring. She swallowed. How must he feel, when she had never given him an answer?

She then accepted that she had no choice but to get up and accept the day. Or what was left of it. It was 2 o'clock in the afternoon.

She slowly stretched and lazily rolled out of bed, and onto the floor. Ouch. She was still wearing the lavender dress. It was scorched, dusty and ripped, but in a way she never wanted to take it off. She had been wearing it when her and Teague had…okay. She actually wanted to take it off. Ferah had stabbed Teague through the heart while she was wearing it. Mei had died while she was wearing it.

How was she supposed to get dressed, she wondered. Teague had the mirror, and could watch her every second of the day? He was evil now. He wouldn't be chivalrous, and wouldn't give her privacy. She wrapped a towel around herself, and unzipped the dress. It fell away to the floor. Then she walked to the bathroom, and without turning on the light, took her shower.

She got dressed. Although it was summer, she put on long jeans, a long sleeved shirt, a heavy hoody and woolly socks. It was lashing rain outside, and the temperature was colder than what seemed normal for May.

Outside, thunder boomed. The sky lit up with lightning. Mina shivered. She hadn't seen it this bad since the first night in the house. The night she had seen the Stiltskin. The night Jared had come back…

She walked outside her room and rang Nan. They arranged that Nan would pick Mina up and they would go to Nan's house. Sara had left her a note, saying that her and Charlie had gone out for the day and would be back at 7 o'clock.

She went downstairs and toasted a Pop Tart. She was just about to take it out when a voice made her turn around.

"Do you have the knife?"

She didn't answer but turned around sharply and kicked him between the legs. Teague winced and bent over. She punched him in the face and was about to kick him again but he caught hold of her leg and held her upside down.

"Let me go!" she screeched, clawing and scratching. Teague looked bored. The rain came down harder.

"Give it to me."

"I don't have it!"

"I've been looking for over 200 years…you have the knife, Mina."

Mina stopped for a moment, her long hair barely dusting the floor.

"How did you get inside my house?" she demanded.

"Don't change the subject, little Grimm."

"HOW DID YOU GET INSIDE MY HOUSE? Jared TOLD me that this house was PROTECTED, so HOW are you in here?"

"Jared is a part of me now."

Mina's face had started to go red. She fell silent. Her eyes filled with tears that slowly trickled down her forehead and onto the floor. One fell and touched Teague's boot. He dropped her, and Mina was knocked unconscious.

"Oh, …..!" Inwardly cursing, Teague gently picked her up and laid her on the sofa, resisting the urge to kick her for the problems she was causing.

She looked beautiful. Her face, faintly tanned and dusted with freckles. Her eyelashes, sweeping her cheeks. Her hair, falling in glossy corkscrew ringlets. He was transfixed. That was, until she opened her eyes and squished them up in pain.

"Ow…..my head…." She groaned.

Teague glared at her.

"Who are you?"

Uh oh.

"Where am I?"

Please say this was a joke.

"What's wrong with me?"

"Uuummm…" Teague faltered.

She started to cry. "Please let me go home-my father and sisters will miss me."

What?

With a bit of stray magic, he put her to sleep, and sat down beside her. Something had gone wrong. He needed help.

He opened a portal with a wave of his hand-seam rippers were for wimps-and put cover stories for Mina in the minds of everyone she knew.

Now, according to them, Mina had eloped with a dark and mysterious stranger…

He picked up Mina and stepped through the portal.


	2. Chapter 2

He didn't like to ask favours or advice of anyone.

When Teague was young, he had asked Maeve to help him with a troublesome passageway in the castle. It had been sealed many years previously, and he wanted to explore it.

She had replied that if he never needed to ask help of anyone, he would never need to rely on anyone. A harsh lesson, but when he had been stabbed by Erjad he finally understood.

To put trust in someone else was to be weak.

However, he had no choice this time. Something had gone wrong in the weak mind of the pathetic human…who had the key to everything he needed. So he decided to help her in order to get the knife. But it should have been his. By rights it was his. He didn't need her permission…he was doing this so that-

He was nervous of where this conversation was going. _Darn._ It was Jared again. That stupid, pathetic influence on his mind. It was crazy to have conversations with yourself, right? But he wasn't crazy.

King Lucian was more trustworthy than Queen Maeve. His father could actually listen without trying to get something out of the information for his own gains. _Unlike_ his devious hag of a mother.

Teague materialised into King Lucian's office. He was not there, but answers were.

He gently put Mina down on a red loveseat, and cast a camouflage charm over her. Now nobody could see her but himself.

Lucian opened the door to his office. He had clearly just eaten his lunch, for he had traces of food in his beard and around his mouth. He shut the door, then burped, scratched himself, and finally noticed Teague. His face blanched.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded. He tried to open the door, but Teague made it stick.

"I shall not harm you. I need…information."

Lucian relaxed and sat down at his desk in the office chair. He leant forward and clasped his hands. "Go on."

"So…" Teague started. "I was… _visiting_ some Grimms and …" This was going to be tricky. He couldn't let his father know exactly what was going on, but he did need Lucian's knowledge.

"Well, I was pushing one into a tale but they got a concussion in the middle of it. Their perspective of everything completely changed and I need them to go back to normal before anyone notices what's up."

Lucian smiled. "Oh, well that's easy. Some of your magic has obviously rubbed off on them, and they believe that they are the character."

"So…what do I do?"

"Just wait for the tale to play out. In this sort of situation, things go back to normal after a little while."

"There's no other option?"

"No."

Meanwhile on the human plane

"Where can she be?" Sara cried.

"You don't know either?"

Teague hadn't known that all of the people Mina was close to were protected. By Fae magic. So everywhere was in an uproar.

Nan was on the phone.

"Well…" Sara thought for a moment. "She could have found about Mrs. Wong."

She listened to Nan.

"Well, you know Mrs. Wong. She passed away last night and we're all devastated. Maybe Mina found out and has run off somewhere to be in private."

She listened again.

"Yes, I _know_ you arranged to meet her, but the truth is she might have found out about it just afterwards and not thought of anyone else."

"Yes, well, we'll see how it goes and give her time."

"Okay, bye!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Here it is-thank you for the reviews. And of course, Meague Forever. (In Forever. Only 28 days to go!)**

King Lucian walked out of the room – "I need a cup of coffee"- and Teague pretended he didn't know about the pretty kitchen maid who was in charge of such things. It was fine. He needed to get rid of Mina anyway.

So Mina believed herself to be a character in a Grimm story. But which story? Was anyone else involved in it? Was he a character? All of a sudden, Teague realised that the answer had opened up new questions. He ran out and chased after Lucian.

"What if I'm in the story?"

Lucian turned around in confusion. "What?"

"Is it possible that I am a character in the story?"

"Oh yes, of course. But since you obviously have only played a minor part in this Grimm's life, then you will only be a minor character."

"Like…"

"Take Snow White. You could be a servant, or an animal-"

"I would NEVER be an animal."

"But you get the point."

"Yeah."

Okaaay. This was worrying. Just how big a part did he play in Mina's life? Teague realised he didn't know. He sighed. This could be hard work. And that was something he had a serious allergy to.

He went back to the office, took the spell off Mina and picked her up. He transported himself and her to his own castle, which was much more private than this…filthy…dung heap.

He took her to a room that was built in varying shades of red. There was a mahogany four-poster bed with a maroon velvet duvet. The walls were burgundy and the carpet was crimson. It would be amusing when she awoke to see if she liked the room…or not.

Sighing, he laid her on the bed and started to walk out. But then…

For the first time ever, Jared spoke.

" _What sort of jerk are you? Put a blanket on her at least!"_

He froze. This was, after all, in his mind.

" _I said, put a blanket on her!"_

Silence.

" _Don't make me fight over this body."_

Ah. Right. There had been several… _accidents_ involving certain, vital muscles. Teague had been wondering where they were coming from.

He replied. _"What hole did YOU crawl out of?"_

Teague could FEEL the smugness radiating off Jared when he said, _"I've always been here…watching. I am the good side. Where there is darkness, there must be light."_

" _And that doesn't sound SO clichéd!"_

" _Ooh, touchy. Just put the goddam duvet on her and then I will leave you alone."_

" _Where have you been, anyway? When I was storming the Godmother Guild, where were you?"_

If it was possible for a being that didn't have a body to snort, Jared would have done so.

" _You think I actually GAVE a damn about those turkey necks?"_

Teague COULD snort. He did. _"I guess not."_

" _Anyway, cover Mina and I'll go."_

" _Right so, anything to get rid of you."_

Then Jared stopped speaking.

Teague went over to Mina and put a duvet on her. He laid her head on an overstuffed pillow. She looked stressed, even in sleep. Her brow was pinched, she had dark circles underneath her eyes and her breaths were fast and urgent. Teague smiled. He hoped she wouldn't wake up until he was gone.

Teague went downstairs slowly. He felt weirdly lethargic. As he tried to go out the front door, an electric shock kind of a feeling came over him, and he couldn't move. But for once, he actually didn't care.

He transported himself upstairs, and went to the west side of the castle. Mina was on the east side, so he wanted to get as far away from her as possible. Before he went to sleep, he realised that he couldn't get out.


	4. Chapter 4

Mina awoke in a room built in her least favourite colour-red. It reminded her of blood. It was like the whole room was bleeding. Or someone had been shot in it, or something.

She sighed. She missed her father. He had only been trying to get her a rose. And then he had been imprisoned. It was her fault, if you thought about it. If she had just wanted diamonds, or rubies, or silk, or a puppy. Something that anyone could easily get. But…

She got out of bed. She didn't miss her sisters a whole lot, really. They were both older than her, and they didn't have much in common either. They were into money, clothes and jewels. Whereas she liked animals, horse riding and time not spent with her boyfriend.

Her boyfriend was called Preston and was a real jerk. She didn't like him at all, and didn't know why she referred to him as her boyfriend because all he ever did was look at her in a leery way, and give her a peck on the cheek when his friends were looking. Occasionally he'd put his arm in its sweat stained sleeve over her shoulder. She only went out with him because he threatened the things she loved when she didn't.

There were dresses, shoes, shirts and trousers left out, seemingly for her, but it was a bit of a joke. Because only men wore trousers, right?

She got dressed and went downstairs. The monster that lived in the castle was sitting in a dining room, shovelling food into himself as fast as he could go. Unfortunately, Teague seemed to have inherited his eating habits from his father rather than his mother.

She watched him, silently, until he noticed her.

"Ah," he said in a curt voice. "Up now, are we?"

"Why did you want me to come to your castle?" she asked.

"What is your name?" 

"DO YOU UNDER-STAND ENG-LISH? Why do you want me here and when can I go home?" She was in a bad mood and decided to vent on the beast.

Teague scowled. She was _just_ as infuriating now as she ever was. "Tell you what. I ask a question, you answer. Then you ask a question and I'll answer."

She sighed dramatically. "Fine. But I asked first. Why did you want me to come to your castle?"

"Um…" Teague faltered. "Why do you think you did?"

"Answer my question!"

"I will. But why did you think that you had to come here?"

"Well, my father took a rose from the garden - I'd asked for one, you see, and they're in short supply – and then you got all ratty with him and demanded he stayed at the castle. Then I said that I would, because I was the one who'd wanted the rose in the first place. Then you said that I had to stay here…"

"Well…" Teague was going to have to remember this all. Sadly, he seemed to be the villain in the story. "You're exactly right. Think of this as a jail sentence, as a punishment. Now my question! What is your name?"

"And why is this relevant?" 

"Just answer."

"My name is Belle."

Teague's eyes softened a little. _Belle_. It meant beautiful in French.

"Belle" coughed. "I asked, what is your name?"

"What? Oh, right. Em…my name is…W…Wilhelm!"

WTF. Out of all the names he could have picked…

Mina raised an eyebrow. "Oh, right." This had gotten boring. He was actually starving.

Teague said no more and sighed, but platters appeared on the long oak table containing bacon, sausages, black pudding, cooked ham, salami and duck. Mina blinked and then blinked again.

She didn't make a move. "What's wrong?"

"I don't eat meat. I'm a vegetarian."

Teague sighed again, louder this time, and made fruit appear in the kitchen. He had forgotten that she didn't know he was Fae. He motioned towards it, and she walked in. A few minutes later she came out, holding a lot of what had been in there. She dumped it all on the table.

"What is this?" she asked, holding up a kiwi. Teague almost laughed. What time zone did she think she was in? "And what's this?" holding up a durian. "And.."

"That's a banana."

She snorted. " _Obviously_. But how do you peel them?" 

He stared at her incredulously. "You don't know how to peel a banana?"

She looked shy and a little sad when she said "My father always did it for me."

He took it from her and skinned it.

"Thank you!" and then she smiled. Her smile had not changed at all. It lit up her face. He saw genuine gratitude in her eyes. He shivered.

The moment was ruined when Jared said _"This is the bit where you say YOU'RE WELCOME."_

" _Oh no, not you AGAIN."_

" _You're right. It's me. I'm back to haunt you."_

" _Shut up."_

Her smile had slipped. "Well, I'll just go to my room, then."

"Eh…y-yes, you do that."

Teague was tired of her company anyway. He walked away from the table and tried to go out the front door. This time he was able to, but he couldn't get past the front gate. He'd try again some other time. It wasn't bad in here anyway. There was a big muddy garden perfect for dirt bike racing, and-

"WTF HAPPENED TO MY GARDEN?" he shrieked as he ran around in figure of eights. There were gorgeous rose bushes everywhere, blooming with blossoms of every colour. The nicest looking were the red ones. They started out crimson, and then darkened to burgundy. They were unlike any roses ever seen on the human plane.

He ran inside and up to his bedroom to put on his work clothes – this was going to be a tough job – but stopped when he caught a fleeting glimpse of his reflection in a mirror.

His eyes were green.


	5. Chapter 5

Mina was a little scared, if she was honest with herself. She could feel hatred bigger than anything she had ever known radiating off Teague. And it was terrifying. She was trapped in a castle with this mad person.

She heard a scream and ran to her window. Nothing seemed amiss. The garden was blooming with colour. It was the most radiant thing she had ever seen. She saw Teague running about in rage. Finally he stopped and stormed inside.

She was a compassionate girl and decided to investigate. She followed the growling sound and found, on the west side of the castle,Teague's room.

Teague was shocked. This tale was doing more to him than anything else had ever done. It had beaten his power…and this _was_ his power.

" _This is what you get when you play with fire. Burned."_

" _Whatever. YOU are just as much a part of this as me."_

For once, Jared didn't have a comeback.

Teague caught sight of Mina standing in his doorway, her hand raised as if trying to reach out and help.

" _Stop_." He didn't know what possessed him to say it, but the colour rose in her cheeks and her eyes dimmed in sadness.

She decided to cover up. "Am I allowed to go outside?"

What was she on about?

Oh yeah, he was her jailor and all.

"Um, sure yeah, I guess. I should warn you, though. A big bad Fae…ry put an enchantment on the gate so you can't leave. And if you should try, something really bad would happen!"

"Worse than being stuck here?"

He wasn't really that bad, was he?

"Yeah."

She left.

It was weird and a little stalky, he knew, but he watched her from the window. She seemed right at home in the garden, inhaling deeply but never touching anything. She probably thought that her sentence would be prolonged if she did.

When had he become such a monster?

Mina smelled the roses and couldn't imagine a better scent. It was like all her favourite smells rolled into one. Fresh linen, grass after rain, the earth in summer…

Teague came down and politely greeted her. Mina narrowed her eyes at the beast's cool façade. Something was up. She was right.

"Ahem…" Teague was nervous. The Dark Prince was nervous. Nervous and afraid. And of what was he nervous and afraid?

Rejection.

"Ahem…" Teague tried again. "W-will you walk with me?"

Mina was surprised. This was not what she had expected.

"Why…yes, of course." Mina's character had been brought up well and so she was very polite. She couldn't refuse. Then again…

It was a good thing she hadn't refused. Teague's tantrums had wrecked countries. The earthquakes aren't exactly the plates colliding so much as Teague not getting his way.

So...I know a place where the sun shines so beautifully that when it sets, instead of admiring the beauty of it you are upset because it has gone away. No, he couldn't say that.

"Come on. I need to show you something."

Much better.

"Is it far away?"

"It's within walking distance."

"Well, okay then."

They set off. The air between them was tense and nervous. Mina was scared this was a trick. Teague was scared this was a joke and that she was going to wake up soon.

MEANWHILE ON THE HUMAN PLANE

Mina's friends and family had been affected. This time, charms could offer no protection.

BACK TO THE FAE PLANE

Mina was out of depth.

"What is your favourite way to pass the time?"

"Well…I love horse riding. My horse is so loyal and is the best friend anyone could ever have."

Teague wondered who this loyal companion could be.

"And your best friend?"

"My horse."

"Your best human friend?"

Well…

This was where society would dictate she said Preston, but that was a lie.

"I don't have any."

"So you don't know any humans?"

"Well, I'd say my father or my sisters but they are related to me and I'm not sure that counts."

Teague would have allowed that as an answer. He was a little offended. His father had been his best friend before 'Elle' had come into his life.

"So…?"

"Well…I'd have to say my boyfriend, Preston."

"You don't sound very enthusiastic."

This was ridiculous. He was a monster so surely she could lie to him. But she was kind of sick of untruths.

She sighed. Teague thought she was getting dreamy and started to get jealous.

"So what's he look like? Have you ever seen anyone more handsome than him?" Teague asked. It was childish, he knew. But he was filled with a hatred for Preston so he needed a little ego booster.

"He had blonde hair and blue eyes. He loves sports and…"

No more lies. Ever.

"He is a horrible person and I am glad I am here because it means that I don't have to see his face."

There we go.

Teague, true to nature, was relieved that Mina had a boyfriend as horrible as he was, instead of being horrified that she had…her character had…a torment in her life.

" _Ooh, happy that you have less competition? Jerkface!"_

" _I have a great face, thanks very much. And what competition…I haven't even entered and I don't want to!"_

" _Getting a little defensive are we?"_

Teague seethed. He stole a glance at Mina and her face that had been glowing with radiance a few moments before was now dim. If emotions were weather, Mina was drizzling at the moment. Teague had a hurricane of an idea. He made a noble steed appear. Well…a Shetland pony. Mina was small, though.

Mina let out a cry of delight. "Look, Wilhelm, a pony!"

With that, she ran over and, her skirts not hindering her at all, vaulted on top of it.


	6. Chapter 6

" _Dayum."_ It was unknown to Teague how Jared managed to draw out the word when he couldn't speak, but he was able to do it.

" _That girl can ride."_

" _Her character can ride, you mean. You're so stupid, Jared."_

" _I was born of you, essentially. So to every cow its calf…"_

" _Shut UP already."_

" _Lalalalalalalalalalalalala…"_

Mina was riding as though she was attached to the horse. It was a lovely sight. They would have to come back here again.

As night fell, Teague began to get weird feelings. He was hungry, but he craved raw meat.. His smooth face grew stubble rapidly. And he wanted to shout angrily.

He implored Mina to come back with him.

"But we're having so much fun!"

" _Come_. Now." His voice came from deep inside him, and would have struck terror even in a vice principal. Mina paled. For the only time that day, the Shetland spooked and she fell off.

"Ouchhh…" She screwed up her face and clutched her leg. Tears of pain filled her eyes, and she blacked out for a couple of seconds. When she awoke, Teague was standing over her.

"Oh…." Teague inwardly cursed. When he was younger he had been reprimanded when he swore, so he did it inside his head. That way, he could call people whatever he wanted and they wouldn't say anything.

Mina tried to get up, but nearly got sick from the pain and fell over. Tears streamed down her face. She retched.

"Show me your leg." Teague would have to know whether it was broken or not before deciding what to do.

"But…you're a gentleman. [Teague snorted.] And I'm a lady. I can't show you my leg. It wouldn't be proper, unless you were a doctor."

"Well, I won't know what to do with it if you don't show it to me."

Mina shook her head adamantly. "No."

Teague gave her a look, and even with his new green eyes he was able to get her to agree.

"Fine…"

She leant forward, but felt nauseated and fell back. "I'm afraid you'll have to do it."

Teague bent down and, in the most awkward way, rolled up her dress. If Teague hadn't been Teague, he probably would have vomited. The bone was sticking out. Of course, as Teague _was_ Teague, he was impressed at her show of bravery in the face of pain and was interested in seeing how long she would be able to control her emotions.

" _Hurry UP, you complete BOZO."_

" _Look who's talking…you got yourself attached to me!"_

"Okaaay…we'll need to get you back to the house. I have something for your leg there."

"But I can't stand up."

"I'll carry you."

Where had _that_ come from?

Oh wait. He could feel Jared's presence smirking.

Mina tried to unbutton the top of her dress. Teague's breath caught in his throat. "W-what are you doing?"

"I can barely breathe. Will you help me?"

"O-of c-c-course."

This tale would _not_ beat him. He unbuttoned her top few buttons. She was wearing a corset underneath. Where had it come from? _He_ sure hadn't put any clothes in her bedroom.

"Maybe you did it subconsciously…"

" _Or maybe my subconscious did it. You jerk."_

" _Just cause I'm a nicer person than you."_

" _One – you're half of me. Two – you're Fae, not a person. Three – shut up."_

"Now will you unlace the back of my corset?" She sounded amused. And breathy.

He did so, albeit very slowly, but was shocked when there were yet _more_ clothes underneath that. Of course she couldn't breathe. She was wearing like, five tops.

Mina's breathing, which had been getting more and more rapid, evened out. Teague waited a few moments and then began to tap his foot. "Can we go now, Belle? Please?"

"You're the one in charge of going home." She held up her hands like she expected to be lifted into his arms.

He picked her up. She was very small and scarcely weighed as much as half of a Shetland. She smelled like strawberries. And vanilla. As always. But how…

" _Jared, you f..."_

"What was that?" Mina asked drowsily.

"Nothing."

"You didn't expect her not to wash, did you?"

Teague tried to ignore the fact that he could easily look down her shirt.

When he was sure she was asleep, he ran home as fast as a vampire out of Twilight and went upstairs with her in his arms. When he got to his bedroom, he opened his dresser drawer and took out a tub that smelled like pine needles.

Gently, he laid Mina on his bed and rolled up her skirt again. One leg was beautifully white and wonderfully shaped. (Why did girls want tans? Teague wondered) But on the other the bone gleamed. He opened the container and scooped out a large amount like it was body butter. Then he smoothed it over her leg. Nothing happened, but he blinked and the bone disappeared back to where it belonged. The leg was very bruised looking, and was still covered in blood, but Mina would be okay.

Satisfied, he capped the tub. He decided that Mina could sleep in his bed tonight. He would put her in her nightgown or whatever women wore these days himself. He moved forward and further unbuttoned his dress, but a floorboard creaked and Mina woke up. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Just what, dear Wilhelm, were you doing with my dress?"

The Dark prince blushed. He didn't answer.

"Will you please get my nightgown for me? I cannot really walk."

"Of course."

He found it with a bit of help from Jared and presented it with a flourish. She made no move.

"Don't tell me you're allergic to lace and silk too."

"That is _not_ a nightgown, that is underclothing. How dare you present me with such things?"

Jared laughed.

Teague found what looked like a long, white cotton dress and gave it to Mina. Yet again she made no move.

"What's wrong now?"

"You hardly expect me to get dressed with _you_ in here, do you?"

As a matter of fact, that was exactly what Teague had expected. They had been engaged at one time after all. But Mina stared shrewdly at him with her big brown eyes and he left.

When he came back in, her clothes had changed but she looked at him angrily again.

"What are you doing back in here?"

"This is my…"

"Goodnight. Get out."

Teague scowled. He left. Shortly after, a historic moment occurred when Jared and Teague agreed on a matter that makes up 3 and a half billion humans.

" _Women."_


	7. Chapter 7

**Here it is. Thank you for reviews. They made me brave enough to post. So prepare yourself for a couple of shocks, and also READ CARNIVAL. It is A-MAZ-ING like the Maze Runner. :-)**

Teague's POV

Teague stopped outside the door and listened. Mina's breathing gradually evened out. He went back inside and watched her for a little while, breathing. In. Out. In. Out. Jared then had to ruin the moment by pondering, _"Would you be upset if she stopped breathing altogether?"_

Teague felt quite drained. He wasn't really in the mood for arguing with Jared and denying that Mina was important to him.

" _Yeah, actually, I would. If she died I would never find the knife."_

" _The knife AGAIN? Give it up already – it's getting old."_

" _It's extremely important. When I got stabbed with it, it increased more power AND made me an eternal optimist. Imagine what would happen if I got stabbed again."_

" _You're hopeless. I despair of you, Teague."_

" _And there we were having a nice little heart to heart."_

There was an armchair by a fireplace in Teague's room. He sat down and lit a fire with his magic. It took a little longer than usual. It was most worrying. Teague was finding it harder and harder to draw on his powers.

He found the tub that fixed Mina's leg and stared at it. Suddenly he noticed something written on it.

IN CASE OF MUGGLES, MAY CAUSE MEMORY LOSS, FEVERS, SEVERE NAUSEA, AND/OR DEATH. ;-)

Shoot. She possibly wouldn't remember any of this. And he had done such a good job! Then again, that's what he should have expected for listening to Voldemort. Even if Voldemort _was_ Teague's godfather.

Jared corrupted the silence by saying, _"You know, before nerdboy killed Voldemort, they called Lord V the Dark Lord. We should try that. The Dark Prince. It sounds kind of mysterious."_

" _You're such a nitwit. They already call us that. And it doesn't sound mysterious, it sounds overused!"_

Teague got up and looked at Mina. She was breathing heavily. Sweat beaded her forehead. Teague went into the en suite bathroom and wet a flannel. He gently wiped her forehead with it, but she was burning so hot that it quickly lost all it moisture. She murmured, "But I think I love him."

Teague inhaled sharply. Mina opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Nan, I think I love him."

Mina thought he was Nan? Wasn't she supposed to be in Belle character?

He replied hesitantly, "Who? Who do you love?"

"I – it's – well, he's – it's not Brody. Brody just uses me. He wasn't interested in me before I got cursed. And when he finally paid attention to me he kept forgetting. I just can't be with him."

"But don't you love him?"

"I think – I'm in love with -"

" _Jared, Jared, Jared!"_ chanted Jared silently.

"T-"

Mina started coughing. Blood poured out of her mouth and she retched. Teague supported her with his arm and rubbed her back. She blinked at him.

"W – Wilhelm? What are you doing here?"

"Ssh, ssh. Go back to sleep."

Her eyelids drooped and she sank into the bed. A moment later she was sound asleep.

Teague decided that he had better stay with her. Just in case. Something might happen. He licked a clean handkerchief and wiped the blood away from the edge of her mouth with it.

" _Look, there's blood on her lips. You gonna clean that off with your tongue too?"_

" _You disgust me."_

Teague kept his arm around her, and fell asleep that way.

Mina's POV

Mina woke up with an unfamiliar, masculine arm draped around her. She pushed it off. Teague let out a loud snore. He was sucking his thumb. Mina smiled at him before realising that, (a) she had slept with someone else, (b) it was the Beastie Boy! and (c) they were in his room.

Had something happened last night that she had forgotten?

Her leg was a bit sore and she didn't know why. Sighing, she picked up a pillow and whacked Teague on the head with it.

 _Grunt. Snore._ He rolled over and went back to sleep.

She went into his closet and found a large variety of strange objects, including musical instruments, women's high heels, and – never mind.

She started off by banging a drum as loudly as she could. Nothing. Then she broke a guitar over his head. Zilch. She tapped the high heels on his forehead. He swatted at her and buried his head beneath a pillow.

Exhausted, she whispered, "Wake up," in his ear. He jumped about five feet in the air and screamed "HOLY MOTHER OF – oh, it's you."

Flattering.

"Why am I in here in your bedroom? What happened last night?"

Mina had forgotten all of the events of last night and Teague was unable to answer. He erased her memory and made her think that she had offered to cook breakfast for him.

"I asked, what happened last night?"

Mina was a Grimm; her blood protected her from the erasing of her memory. Only the Fates themselves would have been able to manipulate her mind. And Voldemort. But that was it.

"Oh, well…I…em…you see, your leg was sore, so you came into me and I said I would have a look at it…and…em…that was about 10 minutes ago…and…it was a rough day yesterday so we were both…em…really tired…so…go back to bed!"

And with that he buried himself under the covers and went back to sleep.

Mina was disgusted. She went downstairs and decided to make breakfast. She had learned to cook in the village school and was surprisingly good at it. It was going to be all, of course, vegetarian.

She heard a knock at the door, and presuming that Teague was asleep, she went to the door to answer it. She opened it and her face paled. Bile rose in her throat. For there stood…

Teague's POV

Teague tried to sleep after she left but it was no use; her scent was everywhere. Sighing, he got up, washed, and got dressed. He took unusual care with his clothes. He put on a dark grey v-neck jumper, a white shirt, black jodhpurs, and long black boots. He had plans for that day.

He went downstairs, preparing himself to make breakfast when he heard a commotion at the front door.

He rushed out, preparing to attack, and stopped dead. For there Mina stood conversing angrily with a tall boy with blonde hair and blue eyes.

"P – Preston?" Mina gasped. Her legs trembled and she fell on her back.

Preston strode inside aggressively, and looked around with a sneering expression on his face. Then he caught sight of Teague. His expression turned to one of disbelief.

"This is who you left me for?" he asked. "This – this – maniac? He's a secluded psychopath! Belle, you can do better than this!"

Tears of fear streamed down Mina's face. That girl sure did cry a lot. Then again, she had lots to cry about.

"He – he's not. He's fine. He's real. He's nicer than you. Leave me alone!"

"You'd better come back with me – or I'll…"

"Just go. Please, just go."

"I'll be back. With company." And with that he marched out, angrily, leaving a threat hanging over Mina's head.

Mina broke down in sobs. Teague walked over to her and crouched down. He started to speak, but she cut him off.

"Stop. Just stop. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be in this predicament."

A strange sense of déja vu washed over him and he vaguely remembered a forest and a river.

Mina ran up to her bedroom, crying, and Teague tried to get over the shock he felt.

For standing at the door had been Brody Carmichael.


	8. Chapter 8

TEAGUE'S POV

He could hear gentle sobs coming from the kitchen.

"Go in. Comfort her." 

" _Um...I'm…kind of…inexperienced in this sort of situation."_

" _She doesn't need words, she needs another human."_

" _But Jared, we're not…"_

" _She thinks we are. And that will help."_

" _Hold on…why am I saying WE? You don't count."_

Teague walked into the kitchen and found Mina crying her heart out.

"Hey, it's okay now, he's gone."

Mina only cried harder.

"I won't let him come back, I promise."

"B-b-but that's the PROOOB-lem," she sniffed. "He'll-he'll destroy EVERYTHING!"

Wow, Teague could seriously respect this Preston character. He was a man after his own heart.

"What do you mean?"

"You-you won't believe me if I tell you." She broke up sobbing again.

"I – I will."

ON THE HUMAN PLANE

Ever smiled. Everything was going to plan. The Godmother's magic had successfully been transferred to herself. Now they couldn't interfere. King Lucian's magic had changed owners as well.

Queen Maeve was agreeable with the whole matter. Brody was doing his job successfully. And Mina…she laughed mockingly. Poor, sweet innocent little Mina had been so easily manipulated it was laughable.

Then again, that was obvious. She was laughing after all.

Brody had been easily manipulated too. Once Ever had found the knife, she had approached the idiotic human with an offer he couldn't refuse. It was after they had left Mina home.

"I know a way for you to protect Mina from anything and everything. Are you interested?"

Blunt and to the point. It was perfect.

"What is it? I'll do anything! Just say the word!"

"This!" Ever stabbed Brody in the stomach with the knife. He toppled over in Ever's car. The blood would never come out, but that didn't worry her. She could just transform it.

Ever had unknowingly been scratched with the knife and the longer she stayed with it, the worse it was affecting her. Teague had been very powerful without the knife, and it had only taken a quarter inch to change him.

Ever was not nearly as powerful as Teague. That was why it took such little exposure to the knife to change her. She was, however, getting more and more dangerous. She would never be as powerful as Teague, unless…dare she imagine it? Was it possible?

Sadly, since Brody was a human, the knife had not had the same effect on him. It had just mortally wounded him. Ever had gone to the most inconvenience to call in an old friend.

"Bella."

Bella had been outraged to be called. Disgruntled, she arrived but then realised that something about Ever had changed. Then, the immortal creature who could be killed only in a very few ways had been terrified.

Ever demanded that Bella changed Brody.

"N-no. I…I cannot do it. I will never bite a human."

Ever raised an eyebrow and Bella screamed in pain. It was the pain of changing, the memory, being used against her.

"OKAAY! I'll do it! Just stop - stop the pain."

It went away. Bella leaned forward and bit Brody. The human paled and began the transformation. Bella spat on the floor.

"That is my favour. I will never return."

Ever smiled. "What's your daughter's name? Renesmee?"

Bella fled.

And so Brody had changed into a vampire. Ever had then stabbed him with the knife again. Since she was in the possession of the knife Brody would now do her bidding.

Mina, sadly, would not bend to Ever's will. It was the most that Ever could do to make her believe she was a character in Beauty and the Beast.

Of course, in the tale, the Beast died. That was what Ever was planning on happening. And she was planning on killing Mina too. Once Mina was out of Teague's protection.

BACK TO THE FAE PLANE

TEAGUE'S POV

She looked at Teague with blurry eyesight. She seemed sure that he would think she was crazy and would be sent to an asylum, or something as terrible.

"Just tell me. It can't be that bad." He spoke in a coaxing voice.

"NOOO! I – I just can't."

He looked at her honestly with his green eyes. "Belle, you can tell me anything. But if you don't, there's nothing I can do for you."

Mina swallowed. And told him.

"He wasn't so bad at first. He seemed…kind. And gentle. But then something changed. He became selfish, and cruel, hanging out with his friends a lot more often. He drank more beer. He had no respect for animals. And…"

"What?"

"One night…I came to break it off with him. Or to confront him and ask him to change. It was then that that I saw it."

"What?"

"He was holding a sheep. I thought that maybe it was injured, but it wasn't. It was dead. He raised it up to his mouth and he bit the neck. And…"

Teague had thought vampires were extinct. Apparently he was incorrect.

"And?"

"He sucked out the blood. It stained his mouth red. And then I fainted, I think." She kicked angrily at the floor. "It was so stupid. If I hadn't I might have been able to get away. We could have slain him. But when I came round he was standing over me. And he said…"

Teague rubbed Mina's back reassuringly. "It's okay, Belle. It's okay. You don't have to say it."

" _Ooh, changing your tune now, are you?"_

" _What happened to' we'?"_

" _Well, you're the one doing the comforting."_

"He said that if I ever told anything, he would know. And he would kill everyone in this whole town and make me watch. Then…"

She stopped. This time, for good. "It doesn't matter what he said. Now that you know, he will kill us all."

"Not if I have anything to do with it." It was weird, thought Teague. He would normally love to destroy a town just as much as the next person, but something about Mina's expression prevented him.

Teague would do anything for this individual.

FAE PLANE

"Very good, Brody. You have successfully scared Mina Grimm into thinking that her 'town' is in danger. And Teague believes what she believes. So he will do anything to help her." Ever, sighed, a little wistfully and a little sadly.

It was actually quite clever to control the parent that Teague trusted, rather than the one he despised and wouldn't shake hands with using someone else's hand.

Ever's plans were not yet complete, however.


	9. Chapter 9

No, it was not a typo (though the number of typos has been creeping up on me. Sorry ). Ever really is on the Fae Plane and her devious plan is taking place. As is mine!

TEAGUE'S POV

Teague decided to take Mina to the place they had visited yesterday. He was still in his riding clothes, after all. Mina didn't seem that keen on doing anything, but with a persuasive smile she went upstairs, hand on heart, and got into a riding habit. She categorically refused to wear any type of trousers.

When they arrived, the Shetland Mina had been riding the day before was replaced with an Irish Draft mare, stocky, docile, and an attractive grey. Next to it was a seventeen-hand Draft horse stallion, black and glossy. They were both tacked.

Teague had intended the mare for Mina and the stallion for himself, but Mina ran towards the stallion and said, eyes shining, "He's beautiful! Will you help me on?"

He could hardly begrudge her her happiness if that was what she wanted. Especially after earlier.

He walked towards and clasped his hands together, to give her a leg up. But she was so small that he actually had to lift her on.

She scrambled up on the horse's back, and slipped off so that she was hanging on to the horse's neck, clinging on for dear life.

"Eeeeem…Wilhelm, dearest? A little help, please?" She flashed him a brilliant smile and he found himself jumping on top of the horse and gripping her around the waist to lift her on top. She squirmed, but finally they were both seated.

"Hey! I'm riding astride! Put me down! Let me off!"

With a grin, Teague spurred on the horse and they found themselves galloping onward towards a forest, Mina in front.

The Draft horse disappeared.

MINA'S POV

Mina, when in Belle character, was a good rider, but she was not used to riding astride. She slipped and slithered all over the place. On one occasion she nearly fell off. Teague caught her at the last moment and put his arms around her. He then took hold of the reins, but he didn't pull his arms back.

Mina could tell that there was a lot of information he was withholding and devised a plan to find out all she needed to know.

"Ouch! Wilhelm, it's hurting me! I am not used to riding astride. Please, can we get off?" she begged. She wasn't used to riding this way, and was sore. But, the truth was she had been happy with Teague's arms around her. Sadly, this was necessary for her plot to take place.

The stallion slid to a halt and Teague jumped off. He then grabbed Mina and lifted her off bridal-style.

She jumped out of his arms and fell on the floor.

"Ouch! Wilhelm, that was mean. I can only ride side-saddle."

"Well, now you have a good opportunity to learn, don't you?" He smiled a crooked half-smile and she blushed slightly.

The next instalment in her plan was a little childish but extremely necessary. She began to climb a nearby tree.

Teague stopped in confusion. Mina had never liked climbing trees so he was wondering if something unusual was up. Then again, Mina had never liked riding horses either.

She laughed and looked down at him.

"Come join me?"

Teague didn't need telling twice. She was about five metres up and had gotten a good head start, but he was confident that he could catch her.

Teague began to climb like Spiderman's younger, more talented brother. They were about twelve metres up when Teague began to worry for Mina's safety. _He_ could climb trees perfectly well – but Mina couldn't.

She laughed and said, "This is so fun, even if it is childish. I haven't done this since I was about, what, seven?"

Teague had to bite his tongue to keep himself from reminding her about last year in the forest. And also, he didn't think it was childish at all. He had been climbing trees that night when Elle had gotten lost in the forest. But never since then.

Mina stopped climbing and crawled outward to the edge of branch, her long skirt hanging down. Teague looked up when he noticed it.

"Stop!" she snapped when she noticed. He smirked, and climbed on. He was nearly level with her.

Mina pretended to slip off and cling on, like what had happened with the stallion earlier.

"O – oh!" she cried.

Teague covered the last bit of distance between them and climbed onto the branch next to her. He picked her up by the waist, and she clung onto his middle in turn. She got seated on the branch and pretended to regain her breath, without letting go of Teague.

Then she pushed him over, keeping on hand on his.

"WHAT? Belle, what are you doing, let me up!" he demanded.

Mina's eyes, which had moments ago been shining with suppressed laughter, turned steely and she looked down at him.

"Alright, shut it with the lies. I'm sick of it. Who are you and why do you want me at your castle?"

Teague was extremely worried that she would let go. He didn't want to reveal his power. He tried not to look desperate.

"Let me up, then we'll talk!" he said.

"No."

Teague tried to think of a way out. "Eeeem…"

"Stop trying to think up lies. I will know."

Creepy.

Jared, ever helpful, said, _"Just tell her the truth."_

"You – you won't believe me if I tell you."

"Nothing sounds as impossible as what I told you earlier. And yet you're still treating me like I'm sane."

"But you are sane. And what I'm-"

"AHA! So there is more, isn't there?"

"No."

She grabbed hold of his other arm and turned him so that both arms were crossed like a Jolly Roger.

"I have a while, you know. I won't drop you yet."

Too late, Teague noticed how toned her arms were. She cycled every day to and from school. She enjoyed swimming and running. She could be as good as her threat.

He sighed. He would have to tell her. But out of his own honesty, not after a threat. He could easily escape.

"Fine. It's fine. But you may want to let me up."

Mina's arms had been nearing their limit – she wasn't exactly heavyweight boxer strong – but she pulled him up.

He grabbed her throat and lifted her up.

"Don't you ever, EVER do that again! Do you hear me?"

Mina coughed and kicked him between his legs. He winced, but didn't drop her. Mina said nothing, but began to turn blue.

Sighing, he put her down and she gripped the branch, taking deep breaths but not looking at him.

Mina was annoyed that her plan had gone wrong and was scared of the wild rage, that had gradually been disappearing, coming back when they were up high in a tree.

"Tell me everything. I'm sorry, but it was necessary. I can't be living with a liar."

TEAGUE'S POV

Mina was brave and honest. That was what Teague respected about her.

"Okay." He took a deep breath and plucked a leaf from the tree. "Do you see this leaf?"

Mina nodded and raised an eyebrow high. She crosses her arms.

Teague looked at the leaf and it twisted, changed colour, and blossomed into a red rose.

Mina paled and scrambled backward. She nearly fell off for real. Teague materialised right behind her and gripped her arm threateningly.

"You're not going anywhere until you hear what I have to say."

She gasped and tried to wrench her arm free. Teague wouldn't let her.

"Your… _boyfriend-_ "

"He's not my boyfriend. Not anymore."

"Well, whatever he is to you. [Nothing, Mina thought.] He's a vampire."

"They exist?"

"Well, they are the least of your problems."

Mina swallowed and licked her lips. Teague tried not to look towards then. Now they looked red and extremely…

"Problems?"

"Look, I'll cut straight to the point. There are Fae. I am Fae. I have magic. That horse down there – he is made of my magic. My castle? Magic. It's all magic, Belle. And something happened to you, and my magic has affected you. That's why you are at my castle. Something went wrong."

Mina decided that she needed to get down on the ground, Everywhere was swaying and she felt dizzy.

"I think…"

She paled and fell off the tree. Teague could not access his magic in time to save her. She fell on the ground and hit her head.


	10. Chapter 10

TEAGUE'S POV

"No!" he shouted. But it was too late. The barrier on his magic had kept him from saving her and she fell.

He jumped down off the tree and landed on his feet like a cat. Mina was pale and broken-looking. He knelt down and picked her head up. Her eyes stayed shut. "Wake up, Mina. Please…" Nothing happened. "No…"

He squeezed his eyes shut, but that couldn't stop the tears streaming out. This couldn't be happening. It just couldn't…

And it was then that Teague realised that Mina did meant something to him. It was not to do with the knife.

As for the shard in his heart, it was dissolving with a stronger emotion than hate. But if and when the process stopped, it would get worse.

" _Teague."_

" _Teague?"_

" _Teague, listen to me. She's still alive."_

Still Jared got no reply.

"You have to hurry. She's still alive, but she won't be for long if you don't do something."

Teague picked her up, gently and delicately, as though he was carrying a doll made of china, and transported home. He would have relinquished every atom of his magic if it meant she had not fallen. Her life was in danger. He had to hurry.

He took her to a different, new bedroom. It was built in varying shades of green. The walls were a bright, happy colour. It was like the grass on a sunny golf course. There was a double bed, with a jade green silk cover. On the floor was a luxurious, soft carpet like spring. A soft, squashy sofa was placed in the corner by a window through which sun streamed in the day.

The red room had been built to intimidate strangers. This was the complete opposite. This was a relaxation room. Teague had conjured up this castle one birthday that his mother had forgotten in the vision of sharing it with a bride.

His father, when giving Teague advice, had asked if blue would not be better for a happy room. "Light blue. Like the sky."

"No," Teague had said jokingly, "My bride's favourite colour will be green. Otherwise I will refuse to marry her."

"If you say so."

Teague laid Mina down on the bed and covered. He imagined her in a long, white nightgown patterned with daisies and at once she was wearing it. Grief was somehow shattering the barriers and speed bumps to his magic. Possibly even making it stronger.

"Teague."

Teague plonked his head down beside Mina. He stayed there.

"Teague, there's something important I have to tell you."

"She could die."

"Teague, this is really important."

"Leave me alone. You've done enough."

"TEAGUE! I need to tell you this now. I am about to disappear. I will merge with you completely. I will not be able to speak to you anymore."

"Good."

"You will be whole. It's fine. I am a part of you. It's not like I'm dying or something. But I won't be able to speak to you anymore. And I have to tell you something important."

"Go away."

"Teague, there is something dark inside of you. A foreign object not native to your body. It will destroy you if you don't get rid of it. Mina will help. But you need to do it soon. Otherwise it will overwhelm me soon."

"Just be quiet."

"I will be quiet forever shortly. But I have to tell you – I don't know how to get rid of it. All I know is that you must, or all is lost. Goodbye, brother."

"You're not really my brother. But you can be my friend."

Teague lifted his head up and stared at Mina. Her face was devoid of colour still and her chest only rose slightly. But she was alive. He started to cry again, silently.

The problem was, he didn't know what was wrong with her. And if he didn't find out, she could die

Mina opened her eyes.

"Teague?"

MINA'S POV

Everywhere hurt. Her back. Her shoulders. Her legs. What had happened? This was weird. The world was spinning.

But even weirder were the tears streaming down Teague's face. He looked at here, his blue eyes slightly red. When he saw her, the joy in them was unbelievable. This was Teague after all. They soon turned emotionless and bored. He wiped his face.

"B – Mina?"

"What's going on?"

Teague looked at her in disbelief. "You don't remember anything?"

Mina's tone hardened. "Teague. Tell. Me. What. Happened."

Mina noticed that she was in a green room (but not like the wave) and was dressed in unfamiliar clothes.

"For a start, why does everywhere on me hurt?"

Teague seemed to be trying to think of a way out of this.

"No lies."

"Okay Mina, but where do you hurt?"

"Answer my question."

No doubt about it, whether believing herself to be Belle or just Mina, Mina would not take no as an answer.

"Look, there's lots you must be wanting to know, but I need to know where you are hurting. It's important for you to live."

"I don't know, really. It's everywhere. When I move my legs, or my shoulders, or my neck. And everywhere is spinning."

"Spine. Possibly internal bleeding." said Teague absentmindedly.

"What?"

"It's your spine. If I don't heal it soon, it will probably be irreversible."

"Well, how do you heal it?" asked Mina, her tone becoming more and more stricken.

"I have this salve I got from Voldemort-"

"VOLDEMORT? As in, the Dark Lord? From Harry Potter? I thought those were just books."

"You thought fairies didn't exist outside storybooks. Why is this so surprising?"

Mina couldn't argue with logic. Then a thought occurred to her.

"Is that where you got your name? You know, Dark Lord, Dark Prince?"

Teague looked like he had a headache coming on.

"NO. His was an anagram of his name. Tom Marvolo Riddle. I am Lord Voldemort. Mine is an actual title. 'Dark' being 'evil' and stuff."

"Ah. Right. I get it. I think."

(Not really, she thought. You copied him.)

"Anyway, I need to put this salve on your spine. That will heal it. I don't know about the internal bleeding though…" he trailed off.

"It's okay. But I need to change my clothes. I'm wearing, what, a nightgown?"

Teague sighed. They had been through this before.

"Who dressed me in this anyway?"

Teague looked away in pretence of guilt. Mina flushed. Score! thought Teague.

"I'll get out."

"No. Stay."

Well, this was the first good thing that happened all day.

"OKAY!" His tone immediately brightened up.

"Touch me, Teague."

He reached out his hands…

"NO! What are you thinking? Not there. Touch my arm!"

Sulkily, Teague put his hand on her arm. Mina closed her eyes and envisioned herself in a loose tracksuit, t-shirt and all the other necessities.

"WOW!" Teague sounded impressed. "How did you do that? I mean, you're not even Fae!"

"Details, details." Mina smirked and tried to shrug, but then winced. "Oh, and, uh, Teague? You can stop touching my arm now."

TEAGUE'S POV

Mina was alive. Mina was alive. No matter how many times he repeated it in his head it sounded good.

He summoned the salve and asked Mina how much she could move.

"Well…I can't move any body parts. But I can just use magic. If you will…"

Teague placed his hand on top of hers and Mina was suddenly lying on her belly.

"Hurry up, this is quite painful."

Teague opened the container that the salve was in and pulled up Mina's t-shirt. Her back was bruised and looked extremely painful. He scooped out some of the salve and reached towards her back…

"OW! Teague, be gentle! It's sore!"

And then…silence.

"Mina?"

Oh shoot. He just remembered what was written on the back of the tub.

MAY CAUSE MEMORY LOSS, FEVERS…

Uh oh.

Teague placed his head in his hands and tried to think of a solution.

Em…maybe she only had the fever, this time?

As the minutes passed by, Teague felt sure that he must be right. Her face was flushed and her breathing hurried. So long as it wasn't nausea. Broken bones he could deal with, but Teague was one of those people who get sick if they see someone else get sick.

It was weird having time to think. Sure, there was this awful worrying-about-Mina feeling sitting just above his stomach, but apart from that, it was kind of cool.

From where had she gotten the idea that Brody was a vampire? As far as he knew, Jared had told her the barest minimum about the Fae plane, and nothing about vampires.

Someone had put it in her head. But who? Who was good at horse riding, knew of all creatures Fae, was familiar with the time period the Belle had lived in, and knew exactly what to do to get Mina into the castle?

Teague realised that he already knew the answer.

It should have been obvious from the start, really. Mina couldn't stand horses. A faint recollection of Mina going to Brody's house when Brody was horse riding came to him. Mina had been shyer and more nervous than usual. Because of the horse.

Mina had lied and manipulated him again. She had even overcome her fear of horses just so that their plan would work.

Because she was working with Ever.

The knife started working again, and Teague underwent the same transformation as before, writhing in pain and agony. But this time, he didn't scream. He was cold, in the knowledge of a second betrayal.

Mina opened her eyes and smiled wanly at Teague. Sweat beaded her forehead.

"Teague, will you please-"

She didn't get to finish, because Teague lifted her up out of the bed by magic, and smiled evilly. The knife had control of his heart again.

"Well, well, well. You thought you could fool me twice. Ever heard the saying, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me?"

Mina was sick and this was hurting her. Her internal wellbeing was getting worse, because she needed help on the human plane from a human doctor. As for the fever, it was a Fae fever, and only a Fae could cure it.

"Teague, what are you talking about? What has happened?"

The hate emanating off Teague grew stronger. When he spoke his voice was barely above a whisper.

"You betrayed me with the pixie. Now you must pay."

With a flick of his hand they were in the castle dungeons – Teague had thought of them too – and Mina was in magical chains.

"These chains will bind your control over magic. Now your precious little Carmichael and Farindale can come to rescue you. And believe me, I will be waiting."

He envisioned Mina in a red, sleeveless dress with a layered net skirt and a beaded top. It was silky and like something a James Bond villain would wear.

He left, with Mina shivering and pleading with him not to go.

MINA'S POV

Her eyesight blurred with tears. She felt awful, like she had flu. The world was still spinning…


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry for all the typos in the previous chapter. Sometimes if I don't check over documents when I upload them things go a little weird.**

 **A few messages;**

 **InkstainedHands1177: Waiting. For. Update.**

 **OUAT Fluffer: (taps watch) Cough! Cough! I do (want an update)**

 **Ssh-Cassidy-Is-A-Mutant: have been waiting a long time for more fabulous wedding (disasters!) with Meague**

 **TheyAlwaysUseADagger:(I don't care) I love it! (song reference. I really like Blank Space. And the parody is even better...)**

FAE PLANE  
BRODY'S POV

He thirsted. It was at the back of his throat and burned like fire. The evil in him was twisting his vision of right and wrong. Brody had basic goodness inside him. Not many people could claim to have this. He was one of the few.

Good and evil were waging a war in hiss body. For the moment, evil had won the battle and Brody was working with Ever. But something kept calling out to him from the back of his mind. To think about what he was doing. It was going against everything he had ever been brought up to believe. It was not right.

Brody was wearing a black leather jacket and black skinny jeans. A white shirt complimented his muscular frame while on his feet were black Converse. Unsurprisingly, Ever had picked the outfit.

He stepped out and smoothed his hair back. It was greased in a slick, Count Dracula way and Brody had picked it himself. It felt right somehow. Like it was his true self finally shining through.

Brody had also attained multiple piercings on his top lip, eyebrow and nose.

He stood, watching and sniffed the air. A pleasing aroma of sheep blood tickled his nostrils. As he waited for Ever, he quickly killed a sheep and drained it. He hadn't killed any humans. Yet.

Suddenly he clasped his chest as it twisted in agony. Good had suddenly won a battle but it didn't come without casualties.

Brody's mind cleared and he became conscious of all he had done for Ever. He needed to find Mina. She was trapped with Teague. And Teague had been infected in the same way as himself…

Brody needed to hurry for it was only a matter of time before the war was over. He didn't want to chance evil winning.

FAE PALACE

Maeve shut the door after Ever and leaned her back on it. That little pixie was terrifying. It was clear she was unstable. Something seemed familiar about her mannerisms and tone, though. It bore similarity to Teague…but not the old one.

When Maeve had realised this, she had begun to work undercover to find out Ever's plan.

Ever wasn't stupid and told no one the full details but as far as Maeve had been able to make out, she had stolen the Godmother's magic. And Lucian's too.

Maeve was one of the strongest Faes ever born. There was bull about her being picked because she was able to spin straw into gold. Maeve was able to do that, but the real reason that the previous Fates had picked her was because they figured it was better to have her as an ally than an enemy.

Maeve had been an orphan. Her parents were killed when she was an infant so distant relatives had brought her up. That hadn't stopped the Royals.

Lucian's magic had disappeared. No prizes for guessing who took it. Ever had wanted Maeve as an ally as well so Maeve had attained her own magic, but she had a feeling it would not be for long.

But what of the Grimm? Ever had mentioned something about killing Teague and Mina too, but Maeve was damned if she was going to let that happen. After all, it was Maeve's fault that Teague was the way she was. That Mina's life had been ruined and her family torn apart.

Why? Because Maeve had created the knife.

TEAGUE'S DUNGEONS

Mina shivered. And shivered again. She coughed. And sniffed. The world swooped. Was she going to die down here?

She became aware of a heat coming down the stairs. But it was not a pleasant one. It was the heated rage of…

Teague walked into the room. Mina cowered away from him. Teague smirked.

"I am unable to find your dear friend Ever but if you are agreeable, perhaps you will tell me where she is resting?"

Mina shook her head and immediately wished she hadn't because she felt even more nauseated now.

"I - I don't kn-kn-know."

"Don't lie to me." His eyes darkened and it was so hard to believe that they could have ever been blue. The way that the green eyes terrified her was so scary that he must have been practising a lifetime to get it right. They were luminous like a cat's.

Shadows crept forward and wound around her neck and shoulders.

"I'm n-n-not lying." She tried hard not to whimper as her shoulders wrenched backwards and the shadow around her neck tightened so that it became harder to breathe.

"I will find them. You are only hurting yourself by protecting them."

"I don't know where they a-are and if I did I w-wouldn't tell you."

She screamed as she was forced backward into the wall. Teague walked forward.

"Are you sure you don't want to tell me?"

"I don't know where they are!"

Sighing, Teague concluded the conversation.

"Alright, another night in the dungeon."

"No…" But it was too late. Between throbs of pain, she could make out Teague's dark figure leaving the room.

MAEVE'S POV

Maeve looked in a mirror she had made when the Snow White tale had given her inspiration. She had been unable to construct a model that told the answer to every question asked, but she had been able to make one that pinpointed a person's exact location.

"Wilhelmina Grimm." A vision of her son's castle dungeons appeared onscreen. Maeve could make out Mina's figure clothed in a red dress crying softly.

Teague believed that his mother had forgotten his own birthday. But how could she have, when he was the stars to her moon? Lucian, of course, was the sun. The truth was, she had had an assassination attempt that day on her and was recovering. She had tried to explain, but he had brushed her off. It was then that he had made the castle.

Their relationship had never been good, and that was just one of the many cracks in it.

She spoke aloud again. "Prince Teague of the Fae." She saw him walking up the stairs, seemingly cursing under his breath. She reeled in shock when she noticed his green eyes.

"What could have happened?" she wondered.

But there were more pressing matters to attend to. First she envisioned herself to be in the dungeon. She must get there without Teague knowing about it, and when she was there, she had to hurry.

Mina didn't notice when Maeve materialised. Her head was bent in the vision of dejection.

"Mina," she whispered. Mina looked up sharply. Her face was pale and drawn. Her eyes had dark circles underneath them.

"Maeve?"

"Yes, it is I. We must hurry. Teague will notice something soon."

"What are you doing here?"

"Mina, listen to me. Ever had been infected. So had Brody Carmichael."

Mina gasped. "What do you mean, infected?"

"They have been poisoned with the Dark Knife."

"How can that be?"

"Ever was scratched with it the night Teague infiltrated the Godmother Guild. She stabbed Brody and when this failed to transform him, she turned him into a vampire."

"WHAT?" Mina was finding it hard to breathe.

"It's okay. But it is all my fault, and I must fix it."

"What on earth do you mean?"

"I created the knife."

Mina's cheeks flushed with anger. "You did what?"

"It's not what you think. I-"

"It's exactly what I think! That knife had ruined so many lives – mine, Teague's, my ancestors, and now? Probably everyone in the entire world's!"

"LISTEN!"

Maeve's voice had always had a distinctive royal undertone and now it shut Mina up.

"I am an orphan. My parents were killed when I was very young. For a while, I was filled with a deep and lasting hatred for their murderers. It consumed me. I was unable to fight back."

"This comes in how?"

"Ssh, I'm getting there. We must hurry. Anyway, I did not like how I felt. I was very powerful, and I managed to envision all my hatred as destructive. I pushed it outward, and it formed Erjad."

"Wha-"

"Anyway. It took away my ability to hate. It also took away some of my power. And that is why it makes you more powerful."

"But how did the Godmothers get it?"

"They stole it. They are not above breaking the law to do what they think is right."

"Can it be destroyed?"

"I tried. And tried. But I could not find any foolproof way except pure, good feeling. And I am not able to have that, for half of my essence is about to destroy the planes."

"Pure good feeling?"

"As in happiness. Or love. True love. Family or romantic, it doesn't answer. Now, we must hurry. He will notice oddities in the power flow of the castle any minute. I cannot get you out of your changes. I can only swap places with you and exchange my power…"

Mina's mouth dropped. "Exchange power? What do you mean?"

Maeve looked around anxiously. "Ssh! Teague must never know! It is a secret only powerful female Fae know of! You can steal or give away your power. I am about to give mine to you."

Maeve closed her eyes and a soft glow enveloped her. It shrank and compressed into a small orb about the size of a tennis ball. Maeve pushed it toward Mina, and with her last bit of power exchanged places. Now Maeve was in chains and Mina was the one with all the power.

"What have you done?"

"You must go! Now!"

"I can't leave you here with him!"

The heat of hate got warmer. Teague was coming back. Maeve pushed Mina and said words to summon a portal. Mina fell in. The last thing she heard was Maeve scream as Teague's wrath hurt her. And then silence.


	12. Chapter 12

MINA'S POV

Mina stumbled backward clumsily. She wanted to go back and help Maeve, but it was too late. She was in an unfamiliar area, on the Fae plane. Which made things even worse. Still they were as bad as they could get. Now if she could just deal with all the problems at hand.

Nope, it could get worse. Brody walked out from a bush, mouth dripping blood, and caught sight of her. Mina backed away.

"Mina! Please wait!" he said.

Mina was one of those people who faint at the sight of blood. Internal bleeding and chills from a night spent in the dungeons don't exactly help in that sort of situation.

"Mina! It's me! It's Brody!"

Mina's face got even paler, an incredible feat considering.

"What – what happened to you?"

Brody's shoulders slumped.

"It's a long story."

BRODY'S POV

Mina collapsed on the ground, sobbing, and Brody took this to mean that he could come over. He thought Mina was in shock, but she wasn't. She was blaming herself for everything that had happened.

He shocked Mina and, unused to the power she now controlled, she threw him backwards and knocked him unconscious.

"Sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry!"

She plonked her head on the ground. She could feel changes in her body already. The magic was spilling around, like a shaken up coke can, and it was trying to get out in any way possible.

Brody got up and walked over, more cautiously this time.

"Mina?" She kept staring into space.

"Mina, I think something's wrong."

The stress of everything got to Mina, and she took it out on Brody.

"Well, aren't you a f***ing genius, cause it takes a lot of s*** to know something's not right now!"

Wow. Mina swore. Brody was so proud of her.

"Mina, you don't know what's happening, so please, just listen."

Mina leant forward in a sarcastically eager pose. "Tell away!"

"Ever – well – Ever's been scratched with Erjad."

For the first time, Mina listened properly without any sarcasm. Her breath caught in her throat.

"Wh–what?"

"This is where all the trouble stems from. She was scratched, she stabbed me, but I was mortal, and it didn't work, so she changed me-"

"You've been stabbed with Erjad!?" she almost screamed. She backed away.

"No! It's not like that!" Brody collapsed on the ground. A tear trickled down his face. His whole life had been ruined and the person he loved wasn't even listening. She was judging.

Mina's gentleness overwhelmed her.

"What happened, Brody?"

She put an arm around him.

"She's ruined my life. She's ruined me."

"She couldn't have-"

"I'm a vampire."

Mina froze. And tried to cover up her shock, but didn't succeed.

"Brody, we will fix this. But the planes are in danger. So tell me everything."

"She changed me. I have been stabbed. But something is keeping the evil of Erjad at bay."

Goodness, a voice whispered to her, the boy had natural goodness. So do-

She ignored it.

"It's waging war inside me, Mina. We must hurry. Or all will be lost."

Mina shrugged her shoulders. Her head still felt foggy.

"We must go. We must find Ever, Erjad, and we must find a cure for you. I doubt you want to spend your life as a leech."

Brody was a little hurt by the comment. "You know that gifts come with being a vampire?"

This comment was followed by a five-second-long snort from Mina.

"Reeeeeeeeeeeeeally? Like in Twilight?"

"Exactly like in Twilight. Remember Bella? She was the one who changed me."

Another snort. "So what s your gift?"

"Eh…well…it's not really a gift…"

"Brody. Spit. It. Out."

Silence.

"It's not like I'll laugh."

"Well…okay then."

He told her. She laughed.

Brody's gift? To tell when people next needed to go to the bathroom.

EVER'S POV

She was sorry she had given Brody the knife. She could have used it now to take down Mina's best friend. And Teague. She felt heat behind her…the same heat coming from her own heart…

TEAGUE'S POV

Aha. He had Ever in his sights. This could get interesting. She seemed to be watching for the blonde bimbo, Nala or whatever her name was. Nancy? Nana? Nico? Nandos? No wait, that was the chicken place Niall Horan liked. Whatever, he couldn't care less about it. However…there was something radiating off her. A different kind of magic.

MINA'S POV

They walked into the Godmother Guild, but they could hear nothing. Only silence.

Brody cried out in pain. Another battle was being fought. Mina turned around but didn't notice anything unusual about him. She continued walking but felt cold hands on her neck.

"Brody? Brody? What are you-"

He bit down. Mina screamed and fell to the floor. Constance rushed into the room. Mina's neck was turning red with blood. Mina herself was silent. She picked up a stun gun and shocked Brody. But Mina lay on the floor, not moving.

 **Sorry, this is quite short. But on the other hand, we've got more stories! they should keep me going until June 8th!**

 **BTW. 14. Days. To go! :-)**


	13. Chapter 13

**Hello, everyone. It's me! I'm back! I will be finishing this story soon, but don't worry, it has a conclusion. (Unlike Blank Space. You devious little Grimmlin, TheyAlwaysUseADagger...) Anyway. Please, enjoy!**

 **OUAT Fluffer {Fluffy ;-)}: How terrible about I Do! I have a theory, though. Well, several, but this is the best one. Teague stole it because it was too close to the truth, OR the Godmothers removed it because it was classified information. Or...this is getting long. I'll stop.**

 **P.S. Nix is making an appearance!**

BRODY'S POV

Brody opened his eyes slowly. His head hurt. His shoulder hurt. And his heart hurt.

He tried to move, but was unable to. Then he opened his eyes. He was shackled to a table, in an unfamiliar room. Shiny steel instruments of…he'd say torture, but he recognised a scalpel…instruments of medicine lined the walls.

Brody was back to bending and blending with Ever. He scowled and wondered where she was. He had a ring in his pocket, and when he rubbed the purple gem he could summon Ever. But his hands were out of order, for the moment. He jerked, and stretched forward his fingers; he could just…about…there!

Ever appeared in the room, looking hot, flustered, and out of breath. Then she recognised where she was. She swatted Brody on the head.

"Idiot boy! What are you doing in here? This is the Godmother Guild. And not even the tame one on the human plane. It's the Fae one!"

Brody was unable to remember what he had been doing before he summoned Ever, and stated this, but Ever just snapped "Shut up!" and clicked her fingers. Brody was free.

Ever noticed a radiating feeling of light – Mina. She was here, but Ever needed to take out Nan. One less person to have to meddle with then.

He rubbed his wrists. Ever grabbed his arm and transported them back to where she had been standing, watching Nan.

TEAGUE'S POV

Teague was still there. He blinked; wondering where Ever had disappeared off to. She reappeared with the dumb blonde; honestly, if he were in the Russian Mafia, he would be the tall, stupid one that they bring along when the tall, threatening one is sick. Or dead, for that matter.

He stalked over, but Ever didn't notice anything until he had her by the collar.

"Where were you? What are you trying to do?" he growled. Ever normally would have quaked, but Erjad had increased her sense of bravado. She smirked.

"Why, the Godmother Guild, my prince." Ever may have been trying to kill Teague, but she still had feelings for him.

He shook her, but more gently. Something about this new Ever that had his own mannerisms and opinions appealed to him…or rather, the quarter inch of Erjad.

"Why were you there? Are they involved with your little plot with Mina to take me down? Which, BTW, failed miserably."

Ever snorted. "Don't make me laugh. That little…well…she isn't one thing or the other, but whatever she is, she wouldn't be able to carry off a 'plot', as you put it, to save her life."

She had caught Teague unawares.

"What?"

"If Mina's involved in a plan, it's not one of mine, I can guarantee it. Because mine would have worked."

"Then…what was she doing with me?"

"Maybe she decided to _take you down herself!_ " singsonged Ever.

"Well, whatever she was doing with me, she isn't in my dungeon now. That old hag is."

"Who?"

"My mother."

"Ah."

"So…" Teague traced one of his toes on the ground. "My mother sent her away somewhere. And I'm not sure where. Do you want to help me find out?"

"No."

Teague's face darkened, and shadows leapt forward. Ever remained unfazed.

"Because I already know."

"Then where is she?"

"Godmother Guild."

"Aw…I just destroyed that. They've regrouped ALREADY?" he whined.

"No, nitwit, the Fae one."

"Let's go get Mina and destroy that one too, then!"

MINA'S POV

Mina was waking up in much the same way as Brody. Only it was her neck that hurt. It actually burned. She tried to scream, but it felt like fire engulfed her when she did the slightest thing involving her voice box.

Constance stood over her, holding a tall glass of shimmering green liquid.

"Here, Mina, drink this."

Mina normally would have questioned what it was, but she felt like she could trust the Godmothers. And anyway, the last thing she remembered was her life bleeding out through her neck, so the Godmothers would hardly want to kill her if they had just saved her life.

She took the glass, drank a bit, swallowed, and started coughing, but the liquid then erased some of the pain in her neck. Too bad it tasted like soap. She swallowed again, and chugged down the whole glass. By the time she was finished, she felt like she could have a go at speaking.

"Con-" Her voice came out all hoarse. She tried again.

"Constance." Ah, that was better. Still, the sound was grating. She got up.

"Ssh, Mina, sit down. You must have a lot of questions." Why did everyone always tell Mina to shut up and listen? It was extremely satisfying to ask questions. Of course, the answers were better.

"Yeah, actually, I do."

"Brody bit you. We have him sedated and under lock and key."

"Wha-? Brody BIT me? He wouldn't do that! He's-" Then she heard the second bit of the statement. "Why on EARTH do you have him sedated? We need him! He can tell us where to find Ever, and Erjad, and-"

"Mina, just listen!"

Mina fell silent. "Brody had been stabbed by Erjad. He is unstable, so we need to have him here where he cannot harm anyone. As for finding Ever, well, we have more pressing matters to attend to."

Mina tried to speak, but Constance shushed her. "No, Mina, you are in very bad condition, and you must let your throat rest."

Mina did not try to interrupt, so Constance continued. "There had been another prophecy. It involves you…and the Dark Prince."

(Oh joy, thought Mina.)

"It says that there can only be one way to defeat him. Otherwise all is lost. And it's you. Mina, you have to take down the Story."

(Why 'the Story'? Mina thought. His name was Teague.)

"What? I can't do that! I'm 17! I won't be 18 for months yet!"

"Mina, you have got to just accept it."

Mina let loose a few tears. She was a responsible girl, sure, but when it came to getting hurt, and seeing someone you cared about being twisted and corrupted, she would have liked a chance to run into a corner and scream. Rather than be the one with the frying pan whacking the villain with it until his head split open.

"Isn't there any other way?"

Funny. Mina could have sworn she heard faint screams and felt weird, dark warmth coming from outside the room.

"No, it must be you, Mina. I have to tell you some important things now. Quickly. Before the Infected arrive."

"What?"

"Mina, Maeve created Erjad. We added to it. And the only way to defeat it is with pure, good emotion. Now, female Fae can transfer powers, so that is what I am going to do with you. I am going to give you all my love. It will make you more powerful and help you defeat the Dark Lord."

"Lord? Don't you mean prince?"

"Oh yeah, that little weed Potter dealt with him. I forget sometimes. Anyway, hold still…"

Constance went through the same process as Maeve, only this time the ball of light was a rosy, reddish-pinkish colour.

She forced it onto Mina, and in that moment, the door was thrust open. Teague stood there.

"Mina, Mina, little Mina. Dear sweet Mina, what are you doing with that nasty old hen?"

"Go away!" said Mina, sounding braver than she felt. "You are not wanted here!"

"Sorry, _Belle_ , no can do. You see, you have something I want." He walked towards her, pushing Constance out of the way with his shadows, and knocking her unconscious.

"If it's the dagger, forget it. Anyway, that's not what I'd be worrying about if I were you. I know how to take you down. And I'm going to tell everyone do that they know what to do if I die!" Oops…that was how villains got defeated. They told the enemy their plans. It worked the other way round too.

Teague's eyes darkened. She knew how to defeat him? Well, he would just have to silence her so that no one else would find out. And no one would hear her scream as he tortured her until she died. A wave of his hand and the deed was done.

Though, in retrospect, it was kind of stupid not to just kill her then and there.

As he strode towards Mina, she opened a portal and stepped through. She was going to shout "Bye!" or another snarky comment, but clutched her throat as she stepped through it. She…

HUMAN PLANE

NIX'S POV

Humming to himself, he walked towards the fridge and took out a 7up can. This was by far the finest drink of all on the human plane. He just couldn't get enough of it. This had, however, had led to a few awkward moments in class where he couldn't stop jittering from all the sugar.

He switched on the radio, and felt a sense of joy as his favourite song came on the radio.

Lunchmoney Lewis's BILLS!

"I-got-BILLS! I gotta pay! So I'm gonna work, work, work, every day! I-got-MOU – whaaat?"

Mina just materialised in his sitting room, looking very much worse for wear. Her red dress was dusty and bloodstained. She collapsed.

"Mina! Mina! Are you okay? What's wrong?"

Mina tried to answer. She opened her mouth and nothing came out. She cried, making no sound whatsoever. Nix rushed over and hugged her.

"Ssh, ssh, let it all out."

This could take a while. For Teague had silenced Mina. Permanently.


	14. Chapter 14

**I don't know if I've said this before, but thank you for all the reviews. They are really positive. Special thanks to TheyAlwaysUSeADagger and OUAT Fluffer. Two fabulous people! (I presume you're people, anyway, and not Fae.) So this is maybe the second or third last chapter. I hope you've enjoyed the story.**

 **xxxxTheArtist**

HUMAN PLANE

NIX'S POV

Mina sobbed and sobbed, but no noise or anything came out of her mouth. Nix stared at her.

"What happened?"

Mina only cried harder. And Nix couldn't exactly blame her. She had obviously been with Teague, she hadn't seen her family in days, and now she had lost her voice.

He got a notebook that was lying around from school and he thrust it towards Mina.

"Here, write down what happened."

Mina tried to, but Teague had made it so that she was unable to form words anywhere. Not if she typed them, or wrote them, or arranged stones so that they looked like letters.

So Mina drew. Mina was indeed very good at drawing, but something had changed in her mind, so she drew like she was an Old Master. Like her life depended on it. She drew Teague, looking furious, and herself in chains in a dark and miserable-looking room.

"So…Teague had you chained up?"

Thumbs up from Mina.

Then she drew Maeve holding what looked like a ball of light.

"So…Maeve came to help you?"

She shook her head and drew Maeve in chains and herself free.

"Maeve exchanged places with you?"

Mina swirled her hands around in the air.

"And…she…I'm sorry, I don't know what else."

Mina sighed and drew a little picture of herself performing magic, holding a wand with sparks coming out the end.

"Wait…you can do magic?"

Mina nodded. Her eyes were still quite red. She pointed to the picture of Maeve, and drew Maeve giving her a magic wand.

"Maeve gave you her magic?"

Mina clapped her hands.

"But…how is that even possible?"

Mina drew a speech bubble with an x in it and pointed to herself. She shrugged her shoulders. She was trying to say that she couldn't speak, so she couldn't explain.

"Well…whatever had happened, I have a feeling that we need to do something."

Mina heaved a sigh, but the effect was lost because it made no noise. She picked up the notepad again and started to draw a picture of someone Nix knew well. She had blonde hair and the friendliest, happiest, most fun and outgoing manner of anyone he knew…apart from maybe Mina. It was Nan.

NAN'S POV

Nan had had a few life changing discoveries in the last few weeks, but that didn't affect how she acted. Nothing much had changed. Except for the fact she was now aware of the existence of…what was essentially a parallel universe.

She hadn't been her usual self, during the past few days, though. Because Mina had gone missing, and then Mina's family had disappeared. As for Nan's mom and Dr. Martin, they had gone off on a romantic trip to Hawaii. So Nan was by herself. And she didn't like it. Even Brody had disappeared. And Nix? Well, he…

Nan had just arrived in from the shops, laden with groceries and clothes, but let out a loud shriek when her favourite redhead and best friend appeared in her sitting room.

"WTF ARE YOU TWO DOING HERE?!" she screeched. Okay, it wasn't flattering, but really, when a missing person and your crush magically showed up in your living room you do get a little panicked.

Nix looked tired and a little hurt by her reaction.

"Okay, Nan, it's a long story, so you might wanna sit down."

Nan collapsed on the sofa, but as she was Nan, about 500 million words spilled out of her mouth before she was there.

"Sowhathappenedwhyisn'tMinasayinganythingMinaareyouokayhassomethinghappenedtoMinathatyou'renottellingmeabouthasitNixNixNixanswermeNix!"

Jeez, Nan could speak enough for herself and Mina. As a matter of fact, that was probably why Mina had taken them there.

NIX'S POV

Nix really liked Nan. He was actually beginning to recover from the loss of Raina, and while he sometimes confused his emotions between Mina and Nan, he mostly thought of Nan. Anyway, he couldn't do anything with Mina just yet. She had a world to save. And even then, she loved Teague. Anyone could see that. Brody wasn't right for her.

"Okay."

Nan stopped speaking, hands over her mouth, and stared at him, eyes bulging outwards from the effort.

"Teague kidnapped Mina."

Nan started to speak but Nix gave her a NOT NOW look.

"Anyway, he's taken away Mina's voice."

Nix gave Nan another look. Her face was the picture of horrified, to say the least.

"And she can't write anything, either. Teague seems to have put a charm on her so that she can't make any words. But she can still communicate by drawing."

Okay, Nan couldn't shut up at all. "OMGyesshewasalwayssogoodatdrawingandsstuff- sorry. I'll stop."

"Well, Mina seems to want to take him down, or whatever, so she just took me here. And that's all I know."

Nan smirked. "Well, Nix, you obviously don't know Mina half as well as I do. She wanted help. So she went to her best friend. And you."

"Hey! She went to me first! So…what can we do?"

Mina had passed out from exhaustion on the carpet. "Well, Mina needs to rest, and we need to get her some new clothes, and then we need to defeat Teague."

"Well done, Nan, I never thought that Teague would need to be brought down."

Nan stuck her tongue out at Nix and he grinned at her.

MINA'S POV (FIRST PERSON)

My head hurts. There are voices swirling around in my head. I can hear Nix saying something about Teague and I stiffen up in terror. I can't open my eyes or anything, so if Teague is here…

Suddenly someone picks me up and it feels as though I am drifting through space on a pink, fluffy cloud.

Pink, fluffy unicorns, dancing on rainbows…

I am laid down on a bed. Then everything goes black.

I wake up and slowly open my eyes. There is golden light all around me, and I felt good. I feel…happy. Like I don't have to worry about anything. When was the last time I didn't have to worry about anything?

"Mina." Says a voice. It reminded me of a harp. So beautiful and flowing.

"Mina."

I look around, trying to find a source but unable to come up with anything.

"Mina, this is James. Your dad."

Oh. Right.

"Yes, Mina, it's me. We must hurry. I haven't much time."

When has he ever had time, anyway?

"Mina, I know you can't speak to me, but you must pay attention."

Okay. I sit down on a cloud and cross my legs.

"Mina, you are the only one able to defeat Teague."

Yes, I knew that. Constance had made it pretty clear.

"But there is a reason for it. You contain pure, positive emotion. It's sweet and clear. No one has ever had anything like it before."

Cool. I'm unique.

"It has rubbed off on some of your friends a bit, in different ways. Brody, Nan and Nix."

Not so unique, then.

"But they already had gifts. They just needed you to activate it."

I have no comment towards that.

"Nix has the ability to look at everything with clear, unbiased eyes. Nan can make anyone happy, and cheer them up. And Brody…Brody is just good. His first, basic instincts will always be the right thing to do. At least, they were until he was infected."

Aw, snap.

"But you, Mina. You're something else. You love. You love everything. You love Nan. Brody. Nix. You loved Jared. You love Ever. You even love Teague."

I am just some big love-bunny?

"That is why you must take down the Dark Lord."

What is it with everyone? He's the Dark Prince. He's much better off than a Lord.

"Prince, I mean. Prince."

"Constance told you about the prophecy, but she omitted some details."

What a surprise.

"Teague had been exposed to people with positive emotions before, but they have never been directed at him. And nothing is more powerful than love."

I remember Mom saying that. But I still don't get it.

"So when you finally take on Teague, you must remember who he really is. Otherwise it will not work."

What happens if it doesn't work?

"If it doesn't work, then all is lost. But you must hurry, for he is getting stronger."

What is it about Dad? It's like he can read my mind.

"Goodbye, Mina. I know you will make the right decision."

I sure do hope so. There is a warm feeling around my neck and I can just make out an ethereal figure hugging me. Then it is gone.

I blink and the world goes dark again.

As I wake up, I make out a pair of bright green eyes staring at my face.

"SHE'S AWAKE!"

Ah. Nix. No one else can deafen me quite like this. Except maybe…

"NAN!"

Nan rushes into the room.

"MINAMINAMINAMINAMINAMINAMINAMINA!" she shrieks. I smile, a little sadly, because I can't say anything.

I jump out of bed and give her a hug. She smiles at me.

"Nix has told me everything. Don't worry, we can fix it all."

I somehow doubt this, but I'm not going to be the one to burst her bubble.

And anyway, my head is still spinning. I can remember Teague saying something about internal bleeding. I hope I don't get permanently damaged.

MINA'S POV (THIRD PERSON)

As Mina looked around her, she noticed her dress. The dress that Teague had put her in. She shuddered. What was it about him that he always put her in red dresses?

"Okay." Nan said. "That dress is very nice and all, but…em…well…it's a little low cut and…okay, it's completely ruined. So we need to change your clothes."

Mina sighed. This could take a while. Then she remembered her advances in Fae magic. She changed her clothes to a dark leather jacket, ankle boots, black jeggings and a thermal shirt.

Nan looked on her in admiration. "Hey, can you do that to me?" Mina put Nan in khaki jeggings, grey boots, a brown body warmer and a shirt.

Nan made a face. "These are such boring clothes, Mina. Can't you think of something more exciting?"

Mina felt smug that she was in charge of the clothes for once rather than Nan. There would be no mini skirts, no hotpants and absolutely no dresses. Mina was sick of dresses. She never wanted to wear one ever again. Well, with one exception. A certain prestigious white dress on her wedding day…

Mina motioned to Nix to come over.

When they were both next to her, she drew something in the air made of golden dust. It took the form of Teague's face. She shrank it down and made Ever and Brody appear alongside him.

She started to draw a large knife underneath but Nan interrupted. "What do they have to do with it?" Mina made a SHUT UP NAN face and continued working.

Nix figured out what she was doing. "Ever, Brody and Teague are all infected by Erjad?"

Mina clapped her hands slowly and sarcastically. Then she held up a finger. WAIT.

She drew the three of them not infected walking towards them, beams of light radiating from their bodies.

"Mina, what are you doing? We don't get this."

She gave them another look, and drew the two sides – infected by Erjad and not infected by Erjad - meeting eachother. She crossed out the knives.

"If we meet, Erjad's power will be nullified?"

Mina screwed up her face a moment. Then she drew little smiley faces coming from Nan and crystals coming from Nix. It was easy enough to understand if you had seen the vision. But if you hadn't, well, it was quite tricky.

Nan and Nix still didn't understand. Mina was about to try and explain further, but right then, thunder crashed outside. They rushed out…the sky had turned red.

TEAGUE'S POV (FIRST PERSON)

Nan's house…I smirked. It always came back to that pathetic little mortal. She wasn't important at all, and yet she was best friends with the most important person in the world.

The sky was turning red, for some reason. Probably all the magic and total hotness coming off me.

Ever stood next to me with that dumbass Brody.

"What are we doing here?" he asked. You know what? I actually take that back. If Brody was dumb, he wouldn't be able to speak. He's just an ass.

"Because, pitiful human, this is where the nixie, mortal and Mina are."

"Hey! I'm a vampire! Not only that, I'm a gifted vampire! And I can tell when you next need to go to the bathroom!"

Right. So can an experienced mother. I spotted Mina and her friends at the window. It was time.

We were going to take them by surprise, but at that moment they came out of the house.

" _Teague."_ Said a voice in my head. Jared had said he wouldn't be able to speak to me anymore. How was he managing? He seemed amused.

" _It's not Jared, it's Mina."_ Oh. _"I got this idea from the Maze Runner."_

Mina may be a backstabbing, no good liar, but she sure does have great taste in books. Though I preferred the film. The lead role looks like me. Except with brown eyes.

" _Teague, stop this now. I don't want anyone to get hurt. And give me my voice back!"_

" _Sorry, Mina, but you should have thought about that when you stabbed me. As for your voice, well…you'll be able to make some noise now, but not able to speak."_

She screamed in pain. I smiled, for I was the cause. She stopped, though. She blinked painfully.

" _Teague, just look at me."_

" _No."_

She sighed internally. I looked around for Ever and Brody, but they were lying on the ground.

"Teague, let me heal you. I have healed your comrades already. Just let me. It will be easier that way."

"What are you trying to do?"

I locked her body and walked towards her. Her pesky little friends tried to run towards her and protect her, but I knocked them out with a wave of my hand. Mina looked at me with her warm brown eyes, and I felt a sharp pain in my heart. Then it stopped. I smiled evilly. Now, finally, Mina would pay for her crimes. I gave her some of her voice back because I wanted to hear her scream.

But the pain came back. I clutched my chest. It stopped. I quickly slammed Mina down on the floor and bent over her.

"What are you doing to me, Grimm?"

Her eyes filled with tears and she smiled sadly.

"Saving you."

All of a sudden, there was a gut-wrenching pain in my heart and I screamed. It was fire and flames and lava. Molten rock coming out of my chest. I collapsed.

I don't know how long I lay there for, but when I woke up, I felt light. And free. Then guilt assailed me. What had I done?

I looked over and saw Mina lying on the ground, screaming in pain. Ever, Brody, Nix and Nan were standing over her. I got up.

They looked at me fearfully.

"What is happening to her?" I asked. For the first time in 200 years, I was scared.

No one looked at me for a moment, but then Ever spoke.

"The power had to go somewhere."

"What power?"

"Erjad. The power of hate."

Mina opened her eyes but they weren't brown. They were gold.


	15. Chapter 15

MINA'S POV (FIRST PERSON)

I opened my eyes. There was a golden haze over everything.

I spotted a group of people standing over me. They had all betrayed me at one time or the other. Therefore they couldn't be trusted.

I lifted them up in the air, ignoring the burning in my heart. Nan gasped. Teague descended to the ground, looking horrified.

"Mina! What are you doing? We're you're friends!"

I paid no attention to her. "You have all betrayed me. You should have always been loyal. Now you must pay."

Ever – hadn't she tried to kill me? Many, many times? And she tried to take Teague from me.

Nan – hadn't she stolen Brody from me and gone off with Savannah? She just couldn't be trusted.

Nix – he left me alone in his cave and I nearly drowned because of his mother.

Brody – well, is there a good thing that he had done? Apart from forgetting me, acting weird around me, ignoring me until I saved his life, getting mad because I wasn't allowed to tell him things? AND he trashed my bike. None of this would have happened if it hadn't been for Brody.

Teague – he was the only one I had second thoughts about. He tried to get revenge on me because he thought I had betrayed him, and I respect that. But he still committed the crime.

I prepared to kill them all. But something stopped me.

I gasped for breath. I couldn't inhale, couldn't exhale. The world was going dark around me.

TEAGUE'S POV (FIRST PERSON)

She is dark. She is evil. It is breaking my heart. I was like that a few minutes ago but she will be worse, for she will have all the power of the knife.

Suddenly I can see a golden light coming from…a portal? But only a few people are powerful enough to make portals.

"James?"

"Teague."

The others don't seem to have noticed anything.

"No one can see me but you. Listen carefully. Mina has love inside her. Her body cannot stand the hatred. It will either make her the most powerful being in both planes, in the entire universe, or kill her. You must stop it before it comes to that."

"But how?"

"What is the opposite of hatred?"

His light is fading fast. "Remember what I said."

And then he disappears. What IS the opposite of hate? Then I remember the TV programme. Mina never liked it.

I crouch over Mina. She opens her eyes and gasps for breath. Her eyes are flashing from gold to red to brown to silver. All the colours.

"Wilhelmina Grimm." She looks at me with hatred and prepares to kill me. I recognise the look, because it had been on and off my face for the last 200 or so years.

"I love you." I bend forward and kiss her. And for once, it is not a lie. It is the truth.

There is an explosion of darkness escaping from all of our bodies. It turns a rosy yet golden colour and explodes, blinding us. Then I can see nothing but a faint glow that slowly flickers out.


	16. Forever

**Well - this is it. The last chapter. It's been fun doing this. I somehow doubt this will be my last FanFiction. It was too much fun. Thank you TheyAlwaysUseADagger, OUAT Fluffer, Evx LZ and that nice guest. Apologies to anyone I've missed. I hope you enjoy this.**

 **xoxo TheArtistNextDoor**

She had never looked more beautiful than at that moment.

She wore a white dress. But it was not just a dress. It started at her neck, a string of white flowers leading to her chest. The silk was a creamy white that glittered with gold and silver highlights. Tiny pearls were painstakingly sewn to the bodice, while the bottom half flared out in a full skirt of net and lace. On her feet were slippers, not made of glass, but diamonds.

If joy was made physical, then it was standing right in front of me.

She held a bouquet of red roses from the garden at the castle.

She glowed with a radiance possessed in only a few moments in people's lives.

A ring sparkled on her finger, gold with an amber stone. The exact shade of amber as her eyes.

As she walked up the aisle, I could tell she was thinking about the events of – was it a year ago? It seemed shorter than that. But time flies.

She had recovered. So had everyone else involved. Some had guilt they were never able to wash their hands of. Some had life-affecting new – mannerisms. Okay, not some. Just Brody. He came to terms with it, though. Ever felt such guilt at her actions that she demanded he changed her. He refused, but she finally persuaded him and they were now happily together. They argue, but anyone can see they were practically made for eachother.

Nan and Nix had eventually confessed their undying love etc. etc. etc. to eachother as well, and not a moment too soon I would say. It was getting lame, their pining and their whining and their wishing and their wistfulness for eachother.

As for me…well, this is my day, isn't it?

I have tried to erase the guilt. I have done my best to wipe the blood of hundreds off my hands. It had not been an easy journey.

She smiles at me.

A year ago, my heart had a quarter-inch of pure hatred in it. My mother's hatred. She had found her parents' killers and they had been fairly tried and punished, so finally my grandparents' spirits were at rest. She did not mind not having magic…after all, if my father could manage, she said, so could she.

The Godmother Guild had been shut down. Too much corruption. Like FIFA. They had failed in their first mission, causing what they were trying to prevent, and that had had disastrous, unforgivable consequences.

Her eyes turned amber. Not brown, nor the other shade. That cold gold. Just a warm amber. She helped me back to the world.

Ferah had died, trying to save a child from a bullet in a Middle-Eastern country. She was in hiding there. She did not know that her actions had been pacified.

The priest says "Prince Teague?"

"What?"

He coughs, glancing at me. Oh right. My moment.

"I do."

"You may kiss the bride."

I may? Who is the ruler of the Fae Plane here?

I dip her forward to kiss her, and Mina whispers something to me.

"Forever?"

"Forever."

Then our lips meet in a confluence of love. True love.


End file.
